Ready
by 2queens1prince
Summary: A one shot based on a lilacmermaid prompt about babies


AN: Here's a new one shot. Based on a lilacmermaid prompt. I hope you enjoy this little bit of fluff, because my next multi-chapter isn't fluffy at all. LOL

Madam Secretary Prompt: The first time Elizabeth sees Henry with a baby or toddler, it literally takes her breath away, and she drags him to the bedroom as soon as is humanly possible.

Elizabeth wandered through the backdoor of the McCord home in Pittsburgh. It was probably too cold to just be standing outside, but she needed to take a break from Patrick. He had decided that this trip was the appropriate time to grill her about the necessity of using the "people's good tax money to pay her kind to play spy." She wasn't exactly sure who "her kind" were, but she was too agitated to stick around and find out.

Most of the time, Elizabeth didn't let Patrick get to her, but for some reason, this was nagging at her incessantly. Fixing herself a cup of coffee and thought about her situation. She'd been working at the CIA for nearly three years. Henry was recently home from his second deployment. His time with the Marines was coming to an end, and Henry desperately wanted to start a family.

Elizabeth was definitely more apprehensive about the whole prospect, and had been unsettled since the topic was brought up. It wasn't that she didn't want kids, but she wasn't sure she wanted kids right away. She and Henry had spent so much time apart. Elizabeth felt like they needed time to reconnect as a couple before launching into parenthood.

Henry insisted they would be fine, and had essentially dismissed the argument, which was another issue entirely. Now they were spending Christmas with his parents, on his last weekend of leave,and Elizabeth was on edge. Thankfully Maureen had just had her baby and other than the mandatory welcome visit to their house, she wouldn't have to put up with the cold shoulder from her.

Elizabeth was shaken from her reverie by the wails of an infant. She sighed. So much for escaping Maureen's wrath. She peeked around the corner and saw Henry as he came running down the stairs and volunteered to get the baby. Elizabeth watched as he carefully scooped the tiny bundle from the car seat and cradled little Tom Jr. against his chest and started swaying. As Henry quietly shushed and swayed, he gently shuffled around the room. The wails settled into whimpers and then into silence. Henry continued for several minutes after the baby stopped crying before handing him off to his mom. Then he disappeared upstairs.

Elizabeth was filled with a feeling that she couldn't quite identify. She was never around small children as she grew up. Honestly, she was a little terrified of them, but watching Henry with his nephew, she was in awe. She knew he spent a lot of time around little kids when he was growing up, but she had never seen him around kids personally. Just watching him made Elizabeth yearn for that deep emotional connection, even though she knew it would come with a great deal of responsibility. She realized that she really did want kids. It was no longer a theoretical expectation of her marriage, but a deep desire. Even more so, she wanted to give that to Henry, because it was obvious how wonderful he would be as a father.

The warmth was replaced with a sense of urgency and need that coursed through her and she slipped out of the kitchen, and up the stairs unseen by the McCord clan. She tiptoed down the hall to the guest room and opening the door slightly, she stepped inside quietly, locking it behind her.

"There you are," Henry said. "I was about to loo-" Henry didn't finish his sentence, because Elizabeth's lips were on his. She pressed herself to him, running her hands beneath his shirt, up his back. "Babe," his words came out muffled, because Elizabeth's lips still covered his own.

"Make love to me," she whispered, her voice blanketed in arousal.

"What? We're in my parents' house and everyone is downstairs. Maureen brought the baby. People are going to be looking for us."

"Then we shouldn't be doing so much talking," she murmured, against his neck as her fingers nimbly unbuttoned his shirt. Pushing it off, she went to work on his pants.

"Elizabeth, wait. What's going on?" Henry pushed her back, breaking the contact.

"You're right," Elizabeth said, making sure she had eye contact. "It's time to start our family."

"But you-" he started.

"I know. But I just saw you downstairs with the baby and you're perfect. You need to be a father." Elizabeth stepped in closer and slid his pants down over his hips.

"You said you weren't ready."

"I'm not. Well, I wasn't, and I'm still scared." She looked up at him with wide, trusting eyes. "But you'll help me won't you? You'll be there and teach me to do what you do?"

Henry sensed her nervousness. "You're sure?"

"Yes. I want to have your baby and I want to start trying right now." She pulled his hips toward hers and felt him hardening against her. Henry kissed her hard as his hand moved down her back, cupping her ass and pulling her into him.

The encounter was brief, and as they lay tangled together chests rising and falling rapidly. Henry kissed Elizabeth's forehead. "You'll be a great mother." She smiled and pecked his lips before moving to leave the bed.

After cleaning up and redressing,they made their way downstairs. As they hit the bottom of the stairs, Maureen looked up. "I was wondering if you were going to grace us with your presence."

Elizabeth ignored the slight, although she felt it deeply. "May I hold him?" she asked. Maureen relinquished the baby with no snide comments and Elizabeth was both surprised and relieved. She carried the sleeping infant to the couch and settled next to Henry, who immediately put his around her shoulders and scooted in close.

They stared down at the blanket wrapped bundle in Elizabeth's arms and Elizabeth found herself smiling. "Think you're really ready to do this?" Henry murmured, pulling her a little closer.

Elizabeth's mind wandered back to those years after her parents died when she swore she would never let herself endure that kind of loss again. She was convinced that it would be better to be without love than to have it ripped away. Then Henry showed up and despite her best efforts, she fell hopelessly in love with him.

Their love hadn't been without its challenges, but they were building a future together. There would be adjustment needed when he retired from the Marines, but they were both committed to making it work. Where just a few days ago, the idea of adding a baby to the mix seemed overwhelming and completely undoable. Now, holding her tiny nephew in her arms, for the first time, Elizabeth wanted that for herself.

A baby would be a challenge, but one she embraced. Looking over at Henry, she replied,. "I very much want to have your baby." Tilting her head, she kissed him on the cheek. She was definitely ready.


End file.
